Potato Grower

Potato Grower February Issue

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44 POTATO GROWER | FEBRUARY 2023 A new movement is happening in the potato industry: simplifying the potato genome. Growers around the country have experienced the effects of unpre- dictable weather, which impacts produc- tion and profitability, and consumers continually shift their wants, requiring changes from potato processors. These uncontrollable factors explain why breeding is important. The industry has a team of 11 individuals from seven institutions and USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), dedicated to increasing the likelihood of genetic im- provement through a project known as Potato 2.0, and education about diploids to increase the likelihood of grower adoption. Genetics are largely responsible for the breeding difficulties associated with potatoes. While many crops hold two copies of chromosomes, pota- toes astoundingly contain four copies, disrupting what most people know and understand about the fundamentals of genetics. The additional set of chro- "Challenging misconceptions is always difficult, but this does not deter the team from making diploids a reality." The Future of Diploid Potatoes Moving from 4 to 2 chromosomes Potatoes USA By Alyssa Green Research Communications Photo by European-seed.com

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